Blue Ghost Mission 1 Team Earns Top Aerospace Award for Executing First Successful Commercial Lunar Landing and Redefining Cislunar Access
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 18, 2026 – The National Aeronautic Association announced today that Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 Team is the recipient of the 2025 Robert J. Collier Trophy. This award honors the team’s achievement in completing the first fully successful commercial lunar landing and operating several NASA payloads, marking a significant advancement in the economics and accessibility of space between Earth and the Moon.
The NAA has awarded the Robert J. Collier Trophy annually since 1911 for the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, with respect to improving the performance, efficiency, and safety of air or space vehicles, the value of which has been thoroughly demonstrated by actual use during the preceding year.
“In a year defined by transformative leaps in autonomy, Blue Ghost Mission 1 stood out,” said Jim Albaugh, NAA Board Chair. “By successfully delivering and operating critical science on the lunar surface, they have proven that the commercial sector is ready to lead the way in our return to the Moon. This achievement is a bedrock for the future of human and robotic presence in deep space.”
As part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative, Firefly Aerospace successfully landed Blue Ghost Mission 1 in the Moon’s Mare Crisium, a large basin several hundred miles from the “Sea of Tranquility” in which the Apollo 11 lander touched down. The mission provided essential data on the Moon’s surface materials, heat flow, and magnetic field, demonstrating that commercial partners can achieve high-value scientific results with safety and technical discipline previously associated with government programs.
“Earning the Robert J. Collier Trophy is a true honor and a pivotal milestone for Firefly,” said Jason Kim, Firefly Aerospace CEO. “Our Blue Ghost Mission 1 team not only completed a successful Moon landing and operations, they inspired the next generation of space innovators and ignited a renewed interest in the Moon across the globe. Standing on the shoulders of giants, the Firefly team further proved that commercial space can achieve what was once only accomplished by nation-states. We are incredibly proud to join the NAA’s elite lineage of innovators who have moved the needle for American aerospace.”
Past recipients of the Collier Trophy include Orville Wright (1913), the Apollo 11 Crew (1969), the Cessna Citation (1985), the Gulfstream G650 (2014), and the James Webb Space Telescope Team (2022).
“At the NAA, our role is to foster and validate the breakthroughs that move the entire aerospace ecosystem forward,” said Amy Spowart, NAA President and CEO. “Firefly Aerospace didn’t just land on the Moon; they demonstrated a repeatable model for lunar logistics. This mission establishes the safety and performance benchmarks required for the next century of space exploration, which is a massive milestone accomplishment.”
The 2025 Robert J. Collier Selection Committee is:
- Ivon Aheart* Legal Affairs Analyst, Office of General Counsel, Airlines4America
- Jim Albaugh* NAA Board Chair/Former CEO, The Boeing Company
- Jason Ambrosi President, Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA)
- Bobby Braun Collier Recipient/Head, Space Exploration Sector, Johns Hopkins APL
- Tom Bush Senior Director, Government Relations, Airbus Americas
- Leda Chong* Senior VP, Government Programs & Sales, Gulfstream Aerospace
- Nick Daniels President, National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA)
- Jamie Darcy* Founder and Principal, Darcy Strategic
- Ted Ellett* NAA General Counsel/Senior Counsel/Partner, Hogan Lovells
- Xyla Foxlin Engineer, Entrepreneur & Influencer
- Art Greenfield* NAA SVP Contest & Records
- Sierra Grimes* Director, Federal Affairs, Southwest Airlines
- Thom Howe Manager, Aviation Safety, Embraer
- Jason Hopkins* Director, Exploration Business Development & Exploration, Lockheed Martin
- Lance Kwasniewski* CEO, RH Aero Systems
- John Langford* Founder & CEO, Electra
- Kathleen Loyd Senior Manager, Strategy, Blue Origin
- Sam Magill* NAA Board Vice-Chair/Manager, Strategic Comms. & Partnership, NASA
- Eric Maxeiner VP, Business Development, Rolls-Royce
- Chris Milligan* VP, Pre-owned Aircraft & Flight Operations, Bombardier
- Steve Morrissey * VP, Regulatory & Policy, United Airlines/Aero Club Washington
- Pete Muntean CNN Correspondent
- Mary Claire Murphy* VP, External Relations, Textron
- Mark Ofsthun* Senior Manager, Methods F&DT, HondaJet
- Jon Ostrower Founder & Editor in Chief, The Air Current
- Martin Palmaz* Air Sport & Nonprofit Professional
- Greg Principato President, Federation Aeronautique Internationale
- Cassie Redmyer * Director, Philanthropy, Pensacola State Foundation
- Rod Skarr NAA C&R Board President
- Amy Spowart* NAA President & CEO
- Ben Squires* Head, Government Affairs, Howmet Aerospace
- Katie Thomson* Secretary of Transportation, State of Maryland/Former FAA Deputy Admin.
- Laurence Vigeant-Langlois Partner, AE Industrial
- Tizz Weber* VP, Communications, Pratt & Whitney (RTX)
- Shannon Weidencamp Founder and CEO, Equus Flight
- Natalie Yoallen Director, Third Party Engagement, Boeing
* -NAA Board Director
The formal presentation of the 2025 Collier Trophy, which will mark the 115th recipient, will take place in Washington, D.C., this June. For more information regarding the Collier Trophy presentation and the NAA, please visit naa.aero.
About the NAA:
The National Aeronautic Association is a non-profit membership organization devoted to fostering opportunities to participate fully in aviation activities and promoting public understanding of the importance of aviation and space flight in the United States. NAA is the caretaker of some of the most important aviation awards in the world and certifies all national aviation records set in the United States. For information, visit www.naa.aero